There are 2 interesting articles in this week's Autoweek...

1) Mercedes-Benz board member and passenger car chief Jurgen Hubbert said the company's U.S. dealers will begin selling its Gelaendewagen sport/utility vehicle before the end of the year.

Gelaendewagens have been sold here through a New Mexico-based aftermarket firm called G WagenUSA. Hubbert said Mercedes will buy out the firm and begin importing the vehicles itself."

2) Rumor has it that AMG is working on a HOT version of Chrysler's PT Cruiser. It is fitted with the same engine from BMW's Mini Cooper S which is 155HP, supercharged, 1.6-liter 4 cyl. Why BMW? Turns out that Mercedes and BMW have a joint venture company called Tri-Tec in Brazil that builds the engine.

Officials at DaimlerChrysler deny the AMG - PT Cruiser exists or is planned.

Doesn't the PT cruiser alread have a 150hp engine in the U.S.? An extra 5hp doesn't seem like such a hot version to me.

The 155 HP supercharged engine is IN ADDITION to the AMG version. In total there are 3 engines.
1) current normally asperated
2) 155 HP supercharged version
3) AMG engine of unknown configuration

My earlier statement was incorrect about the AMG version being the 155 HP BMW. They are different!